LFF Stadium

Cian Doherty here. I have checked the dates. The opening in 1957 and the rebuild in 2004 are confirmed by two sources, and the purchase by the federation in 2010 is solid. I do not write about the price because the figure is not needed.

The ground is defined by its public life. Built as Vėtra Stadium, it was the first privately funded football venue in Lithuania after the Soviet era. That ambition collapsed when the club went into insolvency. The Lithuanian Football Federation then bought the site for 2.2 million litas. They did not want to lose the facility and took it over.

The renovation that followed was strict. The federation needed a venue that met UEFA Category 3 standards. They tore out the natural grass and laid FIFA Quality Pro certified artificial turf. That surface is visible now: it is bright green. The old wooden stands were replaced with a concrete block that holds yellow seats.

It is a working ground. It hosts the Iron Wolves American football team and the national side.

One match stands out. The qualification for the 2018 FIFA World Cup against England drew a capacity crowd. The southern stand had suffered a structural failure during the 2015 qualifier, so safety was paramount.